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Nicole Horne
Nicole Horne also known as The Witch, is the main antagonist in the 2001 video game Max Payne. She is a cold-hearted, sadistic and unethical psychopath businesswoman, who is responsible for not only the crisis in the game, but is directly responsible for all the tragedy in Max Payne's life as well. She serves as the CEO of her company Aesir Corporation. Biography Horne is the chief executive officer of Aesir Corporation, and one of the most powerful women in New York City. As the CEO, she orchestrated mass development of a hallucinogenic drug known as valkyr. The drug was initially produced to be a performance enhancer, meant to be used by the U.S. military, but the drug had dangerous side effects. The test subjects turned out to be lunatic killers and the project was officially canceled. Despite of it, Horne illegally continued the production of the substance. She blackmailed the former members of the project into silence and as well used a powerful mafia crime family from New York for the distribution of Valkyr. Before the events of the game. Max's wife Michelle, who worked at the district attorney's office, discovered information about the drug and its ties to Aesir Corporation, and began investigating it. Infuriated, Horne sent an overdosed group of drug addicts to butcher Michelle and her daughter at the Payne residence in New Jersey. Max, an NYPD cop, had arrived home from work to discover his home had been broken into. Max's first encounter with Nicole happened over the phone, as Horne calls the Payne residence and informs Max she cannot help him. Max ends up killing the addicts, but his wife and daughter are already dead. Three years later, Max starts investigated Valkyr with the DEA with his friend Alex Balder. During their undercover work, Alex is killed, and the NYPD believe Max is the killer. Max discovers that mafia kingpin, Don Punchinello is behind the murder and is the one attempting to frame Max. When Max raids Punchinello's home, the don pleads for his life saying that he was just doing what Horne had ordered him to do. Seconds later, Horne's personal army, known as the Killer Suits, breaks in and kills Punchinello, and capture Max. Horne injects Max with a large dose of valkyr in an sadistic attempt to kill him. Max after a strong hallucination however, survives. Afterwards Max investigates a facility, which Horne referred to as "Cold Steel." During the infiltration, it is revealed, that Cold Steel is the place where valkyr is being produced. Max also learns, that his family was killed due to the D.A. leak, which the leadership covered as an authorized a "field test" at Max's old address in New Jersey. Due to Max's investigations, Horne orders the destruction of Cold Steel to cover up possible connections to Aesir Corporation. Max, after escaping from Cold Steel, confronts one of his partners at the DEA, who uses the code name "B.B." Insulting him as the "Backstabbing Bastard," Max actually finds out, that B.B. is Horne's minion and that she used the corrupt DEA agent to frame Max for the death of Alex Balder. Although B.B. attempts to flee, Max ultimately kills Horne's operative. Afterwards, Max receives a call from Alfred Woden, who invites him to a meeting, promising, to reveal who Horne really is. During the meeting with Woden, Max discovers Horne's true identity and that she is the one pulling all the strings and blackmailing many officials in the New York area to keep her business successful - including Woden and his associates, who were all former members of the project. He also discovers that Horne was the one, who authorized the valkyr field test, which resulted in his family's demise. Woden tells Max, that if he assassinates Horne, he will make all the framed charges on Max go away. Shortly, a raid takes place by Horne's henchmen, in the hope of killing Max and Woden. The attempt fails, as both of them manage to get away unharmed. Max, with nothing to lose, heads straight to the Aesir plaza and storms it. As Max pursues Horne on to a rooftop in the city, the evil CEO attempts to escape in her helicopter. Max shoots the wires holding up a massive antenna. The antenna falls onto the chopper resulting in the end of Horne's evil empire. Trivia *Horne was keeping a very low profile throughout her conspirator. Even Don Punchinello (Horne's minion) did not know exactly who she was, believing her to be a government official. *Horne was so powerful, that she even ordered the assassination of the mayor of New York; however, the order never seemed to get the green light. pl:Nicole Horne Category:Female Category:Pure Evil Category:Femme Fatale Category:Corrupt Officials Category:Greedy Category:Psychopath Category:Video Game Villains Category:Wealthy Category:Faux Affably Evil Category:Big Bads Category:The Heavy Category:Social Darwinists Category:Torturer Category:Mobsters Category:Failure-Intolerant Category:Trickster Category:Traitor Category:Master Orator Category:Archenemy Category:Leader Category:Mentally Ill Category:Charismatic Category:Sadists Category:Vengeful Category:Thrill-Seekers Category:Power Hungry Category:Neutral Evil Category:Sadomasochists Category:Mind-Breakers Category:Elitist Category:Corrupting Influence Category:Liars Category:Arrogant Category:Provoker Category:Evil from the Past Category:Wrathful Category:Extortionists Category:Psychological Abusers Category:Sophisticated Category:Blackmailers Category:Deceased Category:Extravagant Category:Crime Lord Category:Drug Dealers Category:Game Bosses Category:Murderer Category:Elderly Category:Doctors and Scientists Category:Mongers Category:Egotist Category:Enigmatic Category:Destroyer of Innocence Category:Mastermind Category:Businessmen Category:Conspirators